Shoe-In NBA Recruits Go Vegan

College basketball phenom brothers Jontay Porter and Michael Porter, Jr. have adopted a plant-based diet to optimize their chances of going pro before the NBA 2018 draft.

University of Missouri star college basketball players Michael Porter, Jr., and his brother Jontay Porter recently transitioned to a plant-based diet. The Porter family were long-time vegetarians and made the shift after mother Lisa Porter hired raw vegan diet consultant Doug Graham. “I just didn’t want to make any mistakes,” Lisa Porter (a former basketball star at Iowa State) told media outlet The Kansas City Star. “These boys are playing at a really high level. I didn’t want to leave anything unchecked.” Graham visits the Porters at home to guide their new diets and help inspire them with recipes such as raw vegan pizzas and other plant-based foods, which the family believes will be the key to securing spots for Michael Jr. and Jontay during the 2018 NBA draft. “I have tons of questions I’m still asking him,” Michael Jr. said about Graham. “He’s old and still bench pressing, deadlifting, so I have tons of questions to ask him.” The boys are both fond of smoothies, which father/assistant coach Michael Sr. prepares for them at halftime. Michael Jr. hopes to hire a private vegan chef once he is a professional basketball player. The Porters will be in good company once they join the NBA, as several players—including Damian Lillard, Wilson Chandler, Jahlil Okafor, and Kyrie Irving—have recently adopted a plant-based diet to achieve optimal physical conditions.